002. The Power of Community In Your Business with Kathy Thomas
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Let’s be honest. Being a small business owner can feel so isolating. Add a quarantine order on top of that, and I think we can all agree that 2020 was a lonely year. Now, more than ever, I've noticed how my community truly impacts my business. From coffee shop meetings to networking events, these little moments of in-person encouragement and connection have gotten me through so many seasons of my career.
So I wanted to know, how does community really affect our business success? And where do we find it?
Enter, Kathy Thomas! Kathy is the owner and founder of Collective615, a women's only co-working space right here in Nashville. Her heart for female business owners and providing a space that encourages collaboration over competition is so inspiring. Plus, her photography business is internationally published, and she's traveled around the world building relationships, making her a connection expert. Seriously, check out her website attached below, her photos will blow your mind!
Today Kathy and I are digging deep into the importance of finding a community that builds you up as a business owner. We chat about how a global pandemic impacted her personally, and the steps she took to find blessing in the pause. We discuss the power of camaraderie in business, how "pivoting" is now the worst word, and why coffee shops may not be the best place to fuel connection. We'll also learn the history behind Collective 615 and how her personal experience helped Kathy see a need in the co-working industry, which, in my opinion, she filled in the most powerful way possible.
I hope this episode encourages you and inspires you to seek out that community you've been craving! Let’s get into a few of my key take-a-ways!
Meet Kathy Thomas.
Kathy Thomas never let lack of experience stop her from taking bold leaps to new career paths. Kathy got her feet wet in retail when she took a job with GAP to supplement income; this resulted in Kathy falling in love with talent management and fashion. Kathy worked her way up through the industry to become a high-level multi-store manager, operation director, and talent acquisition expert for brands Lucky Brand Jeans, INTERMIX, and Louis Vuitton. She then left that career path to start her own business as a completely self-taught photographer. Today, Kathy Thomas Photography is an internationally published brand, and Kathy travels the globe to photograph her clients and celebrities.
As a small business owner and a mom, Kathy realized early on that working from home made it difficult to establish a healthy work-life balance. After moving to Nashville and struggling to find the right coworking space for her business, Kathy decided to build her own. With Collective615, Kathy created the first coworking space for women in the state of Tennessee.
Kathy’s best known as a connector of people. Kathy’s dream of creating a space that provides female business owners a place to collaborate and feel inspired came to fruition when Collective615 opened its doors in Feb. 2020.
“Your community is what lifts you up, gets you moving, and helps you build your confidence.”
The heart behind her business.
Kathy was no stranger to co-working spaces and networking events. Throughout her career, she’s intentionally sought out connection to help develop her business and grow her mentality. So when she came to Nashville and dove into it’s collaborative culture, she knew this was the perfect spot to create something unique.
Through her experience, Kathy noticed a hold in the co-working industry. She would visit coffee shops and see women business owners taking frenzied meetings or distracted conference calls and realized she wanted to provide a space for fempreneurs to come, relax and collaborate with other business owners in a safe and celebratory environment.
That’s when Collective 615, Nashville’s first women’s only co-working space was born. “I wanted women to have a place to become GREAT,” says Kathy. Her heart was the “take down the walls” and create a community of women who championed each other in a beautiful setting that inspired their best work.
The blessing in the pause.
Like so many of us, the pandemic hit hard for Kathy and the Collective615 team. With in-person community being essential to a co-working space, the 2020 season of quarantine was not without fear. How did she overcome the fear and anxiety?
“I learned to see the blessing in the pause,” she says. While she absolutely went through moments of doubt and despair, she decided to utilize the community she’d built through Collective and begin hosting virtual hangouts and what she calls “walk and talks”.
She also started group therapy for the first time and it transformed her mindset. Taking these simple steps toward connection helped Kathy move forward and continue impacting her circle. Kathy’s heart is so wired for community and connection because she’s seen the results of that intentionality.
Community can change your life.
Kathy’s stories of how Collective 615 is changing women’s lives so deeply rooted in community. She knows the power of women, and what can be accomplished when we come together collectively instead of competitively, and it shows! From her beautiful co-working space layout, to the events and education offered, there is a beautiful intentionality behind every piece.
Best Advice to your younger self.
Don’t doubt yourself and don’t give up! If you lay down your ego and be willing to connect and ask for help, the world will open so many doors. Open your heart to community and watch how it transforms and impacts your business success and overall mental health. You don’t have to do this alone! There is a community waiting just for you!
“Don’t give up! Let your ego go and open yourself up to a community that will build you up.”
Connect with Kathy.
So how did Kathy find her community and how did she overcome the fear throughout a global pandemic? How did she “pivot” her business in 2020 and keep a co-working space going? You are going to love her advice and little nuggets of wisdom for new business owners! Press play to listen to the full interview and hear more about building an intentional and life-changing community with the incredible Kathy Thomas.
Connect with Kathy and check out the links mentioned in the episode below!
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